The present invention relates to hinge and latch systems and, more particularly, a pneumatic operated hinge and latch system for agriculture seed box lids on individual row units.
Currently, individual planter seed box lids typically are manually removed with no secure latching device. This can be problematic because of the lids are subject to adverse weather conditions, especially high speed wind loads and vibrational loads from nearby farm equipment. Once taken off by such loads, the lids tend to get lost over a possibly expansive farmland. Moreover, the manual task of removing the lid tends to be a lengthy process, exhausting valuable time, especially because of the needs of user to regularly inspect seed levels or refill the container with seed. Furthermore, most planter box lids have no hinge rather only a tab to hold lids close, and thus no easy way to secure or open the lid. Some may have hinges but they are small and unreliable, and so they tend to fail.
As can be seen, there is a need for a pneumatic operated hinge and latch system for agriculture seed box lids preventing loss of the lid during adverse weather conditions, wherein the system provides a more reliable and secure locked engagement and an easy transition to a selectable unlocked engagement.